The orchestra's repertoire ranges from music of the seventeenth century to that of the present day; from Corelli and Purcell through Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven to Stravinsky, Britten and John Tavener.

The Academy was founded in 1978 by Charles Macdonald, Organist and Director of Music at St. Olave's Church, in conjunction with local headmaster-violinist, Robin Gilbert.

By the time funds had been raised the Academy of St Olave's was sufficiently well established in the musical calendar of York for it to continue to give concerts.

After Charles Macdonald moved from York in the early 1980s his successor, Chris Liddle continued with the orchestra, occasionally adding wind players as and when needed, a practice which further developed when Andrew Wright became Musical Director.

By the time John Hastie was appointed Musical Director in 1997 the Academy had become a chamber orchestra and it adopted the policy of playing for the Solemn Requiem Mass on Remembrance Sunday at St Olave's Church, offering the Requiem settings by Gabriel Fauré and Maurice Duruflé on alternate years.